Mill plant for wire-making



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. L. S. LENOX. MILL PLANT FOR. WIRE MAKING.

Patented Apr. 19,1887.

(No Model.) Y 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

E. S. LENOX.

MILL PLANT FOR WIRE MAKING.

No. 361,592. Patented Apr. 19, 1887.

I I 5 I A AI R x g Y H 5* k v m ;g Juummmam I a" wiinjessos Inn/enior UNITED STATES PATENT Orrrca.

- EDWIN s. Lnnox, or woRcEs'rER, MASSACHUSETTS.

MILL 'PLANT FOR WIRE-MAKING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 361,592, dated April 19, 1887.

Serial No 162,782. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN S. LENOX, acitizen of the United States, residing at WVorcester, in the county of Vorcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mill Plants for Making WVire Rods; and I declare the following to be a description of my said invention sufficiently full, clear, and exact to enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

7 When reeling apparatus is employed in a wire-mill plant for reeling hot wire rods as they are delivered from the first section of the rolling-mill to coil them upat an intermediate stage of their reduction, and the end of the rod is subsequently taken from the reel to a supplementary or finishing train of rolls and unwound from the reel before the rod is cooled, if the rod is drawn from the reel in a direction coincident with the plane in which the coils of wire lie, in which case the reel must revolve, the speed at which the rod is taken by the leading-rolls of the supplementary train as its end is fed to them is liable to cause a sudden strain upon the rod before the reel begins to turn, which may cause the breaking or pulling apart of the rod in its soft and pliable condition before the reel attains a degree of rotary motion sufficient to deliver the rod from the reel as fast as it is taken up by the rolls.

The object of my present invention is to provide a coiling apparatus from which aheated rod may be drawn from the coil in adirection at right angles, or nearly so, to the plane in which the coils lie, so that there will occur little resistance to the draft of the rod, and the suddenjerk on the rod as the swift-running rolls seize the end will have no injurious effect by stretching or breaking the rod in its heated, and consequently weakened, condition; also, to provide an apparatus whereby a heated rod can be practically led from the coil to a train of reducing-rolls without tangling or unduly straining the rod; also, to provide an apparatus for coiling heated rods as they come from the rolling-mill, in which the central drum or inner part of the coiling mechanism is carried by frictional contact with the coilsupporting Init the convenient discharge of the rod in a complete coil when desired; also, to provide a coil-receptacle having an outer cylinder or flange and a central winding-drum of inverted conoidal or other suitable form, the upper part of whieh is made in a manner to facilitate the Withdrawal of the rod therefrom in a direction coincident with the axis without interfering with the free unwinding of the coils, as more fully hereinafter explained; also, to pro vide a system of rod-coiling mechanisms for alternately receiving and winding heated wire rods issuing from the train of reducing-rolls, and having combined therewith mechanism for guiding and unwinding the rods in a direction perpendicular to the planein which the coils lie as said rods are conducted to a supplementary train or trains of reducing and finishing rolls. These objects I attain by mechanism the nature and operation of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and explained in the following description, the particular subject-matter claimed being hereinafter definitely specified.

In the drawings, Figure 1' is a plan view of mechanism illustrating the nature of my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of portions of a wire rod mill plant embracing features of my invention and illustrating the arrangement of coiling mechanism in connection with primary and supplementary trains of reducing-rolls. Fig. 3 is a plan view showing roller-guides, and Fig. 4 shows the construction of guidingeyes to be used for guiding the 'rod as it is drawn from the coil-receptacle in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of its coils.

In reference to parts, A denotes the latter reducing-rolls of the primary train.

13 indicates the delivery-guide for conducting the rod from said rolls A to the interior of the coil-receptacle O.

D indicates the withdrawing-guides, and E the secondary or finishing rolls, to which the heated rod is taken from the coiling-receptacle ICO for its continued reduction or finishing before it has cooled.

The receptacle in which the rod is received, coiled, and supported I prefer to construct as shown in Fig. 2, the bottom or eoil supporting plate, 0, being mounted on an upright hollow arbor supported by suitable bearings andprovided with a gear, G,whereby rot-ative motion is imparted thereto by means of a shaft, G, and gear G driven from or operating in connection with the primary rolls A, or in other suitable manner, so that the speed of a point on the plate, about half-way from the drum to the periphery of the coil-receptacle, will be substantially equal to the speed of the surface of said rolls A. The edge of the plate 0 is provided with an upright cylinder or flange, O, which forms the outer wall of the receptacle or space into which the rod is received. The coil-receptacle is provided with a central drum, F, mounted upon a spindle or shaft, F, that passes through the hollow arbor which carries the plate 0, and said drum or its shaft is provided with a friction-surface, H, for operating said drum by means of the motion of the surrounding part or plate 0.

The drum F is in the present instance supported at the upper end of the shaft F in such a manner that it will turn either with or upon said shaft and independently of the plate 0, except for the friction, and should the coils tighten upon the central drum on account of retarded delivery of the rod the friction-sun faces at H would slip upon each other and the periphery of the drum would be retarded and takeup the rod only so fast as it is delivered from the guide B. I prefer that the drum F be detachably connected, so that it can be lifted off at will by means of a lever or lifting device inserted at the central eye orring, f. The outer surface of the drum, about which the wire rod is coiled, is made downwardly tapering orof inverted conoidal form, the top' corners are rounded, as indicated at '1", giving to the upper part of the drum a somewhat spheroidal form, so that there will be no projecting angle upon which the rod or wire can catch when withdrawn from the receptacle. A spring-and-lever device, K, or other regulating mechanism, may be arranged for adj usting the tension or pressure of the frictional contact of the clutch H.

The specially provided frictional contact or surface for operating the central drum from the outer portion of the receptacle 0 is at H; but the drum may be driven by the friction at H, or by the friction between its bore and its shaft by friction of the drum bottom and plate; or any known friction device may be arranged at any convenient position and in any convenient form for effecting the revolution of the parts in the relative manner specifled.

If desired, the central drum, F, maybe secured tothe plate or to the shaft F by suitablelocking or fastening device, so there would ever, the form shown.

be no liability of its being displaced by the rod, and so that it must turn with its shaft.

The drum Fis herein shown as of downwardly-tapering form; but I do not desire to confine the construction thereof to that particular shape, as it maybe made with vertical, straight, or corrugated sides, or maybe upwardly tapering, if desired. I prefer, how- A guide, B, is arranged for conducting the rod from the rolls A into the space between the winding-drum F and rim 0". Said guide may be bifurcated and provided with a switch, b, for alternately directing rods to the right or left when two separate coil-receptacles are employed alternately, as illustrated in Fig. 1. WVhere only a single coil-receptacle is used, a single guide will be sufficient. Said guide or guides may be hinged as at b, to swing up and down, or may be stationary, and, when capable of swinging, suitable mechanism may be combined therewith for automatically lifting the end of the guide as the coil of wire increases in height within the receptacle 0. In the present instance I have shown a worm, L, on the shaft G, operating a shaft, Z, carrying a gear that meshes with a rack, m, which latter is connected to the guide B, for lifting the clutch on lever m, which may be connected with the gear that operates the rack, so that said gear can be unclntched from the shaft Z, and the rack and guide permitted to drop to their normal position before starting another rod intothe receptacle.

Above the receptacle (3, at a suitable height to permit the convenient removal of the central drum, F, (or lower, if the drum be not removable,) I arrange guide devices for drawing the rod from the coil or receptacle in a direction perpendicular, or nearly so, to theplanes in which the coils lie. The said guide devices may be mounted on any suitable supportingframe, as D, and are preferably'located at a position in line with and above the axis of the receptacle, in which the coil is supported. I prefer to compose the guide D of one or more hollowfaced rolls, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3, either alone or in combination with a guiding-eye, d, which eye may be made as shown in Fig. 4:, or in other convenient form.

It will be understood that suitable entering and transferring guides, 19, for directing the ,rods to the grooves or passes of the several reducing-rolls, are arranged in connection with the rolls in the usual or any convenient manner. I i

In the present drawings I have not shown the clutches for throwing the gearing G into and out of action; but it will be understood that any suitable style of clutch es for that purpose may be arranged in combination with any portion of the driving mechanism where most convenient; but there must be provided some machinery for throwing the mechanism for revolving the coil-receptacle out of operation during the time that the rod is being de- ICC livered from the receptacle tothe secondary train of rolls also, that brake mechanism may be in any convenient manner combined with each of the revolving coil-receptacles or its driving-gearing, for quickly retarding their motion or stopping them, as required.

In the operation of my improved apparatus, the end of the rod, in coming from. the rolls A, shoots from the guide B into the annular space of the receptacle between the outer rim, Ofland central drum, 1*, the receptacle being then in revolution at a substantially similar speed to that at which the rod is delivered, and the rod is deposited or laid in more or less regular coils about the central drum, F, within said annular space.

If the driving-gearing G G is arranged to impart to the coil-receptacle a velocity of motion slightly greater than that of the rod as it is delivered thereto, the end of the rod is carried around within the annular space faster than it is delivered, the coils tighten upon the winding-drum, and the friction-surfaces slip upon each other, so that the periphery of the drum is retarded, to take up the rod only so fast as it is delivered from the guide B, winding it in successive coils about the surface of the winding-drum. The guide B is elevated by the lifting mechanism only so fast as required by the piling up of the coils of wire rod in the annular space of the receptacle.

Although the above description refers to the coils of rod being wound upon the central drum, it will be understood that it is not intended that the tension on the rod should be such as would cause every coil to be wound closely or tightly aboutsaid drum. The coils may occupy any position between the rim 0, which forms the outer limit of the receptacle, and the central drum, F, some coils being of greater diameter than others and lying at a greater or less distance from the surface of the drum, according to the conditions of delivery of the rod into the receptacle. The center or drum serves to prevent any of the coils from closing or being formed within a given limit of diameter. Afriction apparatus for driving said drum or center independent of the outer rim and plate is employed, so that when the coils, from any cause, are drawn too tightly upon the drum the friction-surfaces will slip upon each other, thus retarding the motion of the drum and avoiding a degree of tension that would break or unduly strain the rod.

When the entire rod is delivered and coiled, the devices by which the coiling apparatus is caused to revolve are thrown out of gear, and the attendant, taking the last end of the rod, passes it through the eye d and guide-rolls at D, and then inserts it into the bite of the supplemental or finishing rolls E, and the coils are withdrawn from the receptacle in reverse order from that in which they were deposited and coiled therein. The strain on the rod being in a direction at right angles, or nearly so, to the plane in which the coils lie, the several rings of the coils are consecutively raised from the winding-drum in an easy and regular manner and without undue strain upon the rod.

With the two coiling devices arranged as in Fig. 1, succeeding rods from the primary train of reducing-rolls are alternately sent to the right and left. The coil-receptacles are designed to revolve in an opposite direction, as indicated by arrows; but they may revolve in the same direction, if in any instance preferred. While the rod is being deposited and coiled in one of the receptacles, the rod in the other receptacle may be in the process of uncoiling and passing to the supplemental train of finishing-rolls.

In case it is desired to remove the wire rod in complete coils without feeding itto the secondary train, the central drum, I, may be lifted off from its shaft or spindle F, leaving the coiled rod Within the receptacle, from which it can be then easily lifted by means of suitable grapplinghooks. In like manner a coil could be replaced or introduced to the receptacle, if desired. The outer-rim, C", may be made removable from the plate or bottom of the receptacle, or it may be permanently connected therewith, as desired.

What I claim as of my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. Arevolvingrod-receivingreceptaclehaving facilities for automatically winding up a hot wire rod, and for standing at rest when the coil is drawn from it, in combination with a guiding device for drawing the wire rod from said receptacle in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of the coils, and asuppleniental set or sets of rolls for further reducing or finishing said rod, all substantially as described.

2. In a plant for reducing wire rods, the combination of a receptacle for receiving the hot rods in regular or irregular coils, a guide for withdrawing said rod in a direction substantially perpendicular to the plane of the coils, and a set orseries of reducing-rolls, substantially for the purpose set forth.

3. In a plant for making wire rods, the combination of a primary train of reducing-rolls, a receptacle for receiving the rods, a guide for directing the rod from the primary reducingrolls into said receptacle, mechanism for directing said rod, when withdrawing it from said receptacle, in a direction substantially perpendicular to the diameter of the receptacle,and a supplementary set or series of reducing-rolls.

4. In a plant for reducing wire by rolling from hot coiled rods, the combination ofa coil supporting receptacle having a central drum, witha guide disposed at a position above said drum in line,or nearly so, with the axis thereof, and a set or sets of reducing-rolls disposed to receive the rod from said receptacle and guide, substantially as described.

5. In a revoluble mechanism for coiling wire rods, the combination of a coil-supporting plate, a central winding-drum mounted thereon, and a friction device for imparting motion to or allowing an independentrotation' ofsaid drum, substantially as and/for the purpose set forth.

6. In apparatus for coiling wire rods, the combination,-with a revoluble coil-supporting plate having an outer cylindrical rim, of a central indepcndently-rev0luble drum,and a friction device for regulating the motion imparted to said drum from the platedriviug mechanism, substantially as set forth.

7. In a device for coiling wire rods, the combination, with a revoluble bottom plate hav ing an outer cylindrical rim, ofa central drum or frame, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

8. The combination of a revoluble coil-receptacle having an outer cylinder, and a frictionally-operated central drum, the rod-reduc ing rolls A, driving devices operating said receptacle in connection with said rolls, and the delivering-guide G, for conducting the rod from said rolls to the coiling-receptacle, sub stantially as shown and described.

9. In a plant for rolling wire rods, the combination of the primary and secondary trains I of rolls, the pair of revolving coil-receptacles provided with peripheral rims C and frictionally-operated central drums, F, the bifurcated 3o guide provided with a switch device, I), the withdrawing-guide D, and mechanism for imparting motion to said receptacles, substantially as described,for the purpose set forth.

10. In a wire-rod coiling mechanism, the 5 combination of a revoluble plate having an outer cylinder, a central winding-drum 0perated by frictional contact with the platedriving mechanism, and an adjusting device,

as K, for regulating the tension of the friction, 0

tially from the reel by rotating the latter, 50

whereby the liability of breaking or straining the rod is avoided, as described.

Witness my hand this 17th day of April, A. D. 1885.

EDWIN S. LENOX.

Witnesses:

CHAS. H. BURLEIGIT, M. L. S'roWE. 

